William Charles Cole Claiborne

Background

William Charles Cole Claiborne was born on August 13, 1775 in Sussex County, Virginia, United States. He was the son of William and Mary (Leigh) Claiborne, and brother of Nathaniel Herbert Claiborne.

Education

Claiborne received a brief education at the Richmond Academy and at William and Mary College. At the age of fifteen he secured a position under the clerk of Congress and continued therein for a few years. Upon the advice of John Sevier, having already displayed some oratorical ability, he returned to Virginia and studied law.

Career

In 1794 Claiborne moved to Sullivan County, Tennessee to start a law practice. He was a member of the convention that in 1796 framed a constitution for Tennessee. Under the new state government he was appointed a judge of its supreme court by Governor Sevier. In August 1797, he was elected to Congress to fill out the term of Andrew Jackson and was reelected for the next regular period, although still under the constitutional age. In his second term he held the vote of his state for his friend Jefferson in preference to Aaron Burr. Shortly thereafter the President made him governor of Mississippi Territory.

He reached his new post at Natchez, on November 23, 1801. In the new territory he had to intervene in the factional quarrels that had divided the people under his predecessor and was obliged to organize new counties, settle land claims, and suggest measures for public health, for controlling the negroes and for public instruction. Most of his initial measures stood the test of time. He also acted as superintendent of Indian Affairs and sought to maintain peaceful relations with the Spaniards to the southward. The ordinary difficulties of his task were greatly increased by the prospective cession of Louisiana to France and by the closing of New Orleans, in the fall of 1802, to American trade from up the river. Nevertheless his course as territorial executive proved satisfactory to his superiors.

In the latter part of 1803 he was associated with General James Wilkinson as commissioner to receive the province of Louisiana from the French, and was sent to New Orleans as its governor.

Here he found himself in a far more difficult position. For a few months he was a sort of proconsular representative of Jefferson. He had no precedents to guide him, little knowledge of the habits, customs, and laws of the people over whom he was placed and no acquaintance with their language. The Creole population felt resentful at their unexpected transfer to American rule, distrusted their new executive and, when disappointed, were inclined to berate and ridicule him. Their discontent was further increased by the action of Congress in dividing the territory of Louisiana and in prohibiting the slave trade. His later marriage alliances with Creole families did much to remove these initial handicaps; but he never escaped bickerings with his legislative and administrative associates.

In the early years of his administration he had to meet the puzzling problems caused by Burr’s uncertain movements and the hostile advance of the Spaniards, in 1806, beyond the Sabine. In the ensuing complications at New Orleans he acquiesced in the arbitrary course of General Wilkinson and shared in the opprobrium visited on that general. He was severely wounded in a duel with Daniel Clark in the summer of 1807. When Madison determined to annex West Florida, in 1810, Claiborne was selected to take possession of the district of Baton Rouge and later to incorporate it with Louisiana, of which state he had become governor.

On the eve of the War of 1812, he found his measures for defense of the new state complicated by the activities of political refugees from Mexico, by filibusters who wished to take part in the revolt there, and by smugglers and pirates operating along the coast. The people at large and the legislators failed to respond to his urgings in behalf of adequate defense. Thus when invasion actually occurred he and his fellow officials received little consideration from the impetuous Jackson. Claiborne’s own letters may have given the General an unfair view of the situation, but after the repulse of the British, he warmly defended the loyalty of the state, which had finally rallied to the defense of New Orleans, and thus strongly commended himself to his fellow citizens, whom Jackson had flouted. On January 13, 1817, he was elected to the United States Senate, but died before he could take office. At his premature death he had at least achieved an honorable record on a disturbed frontier during a transitional period of uncertainty and turmoil.

Achievements

• Claiborne was remembered as the first territorial and state governor of Louisiana. He played an important part in the convention that ratified Tennessee’s constitution and was instrumental in the transition of Louisiana under the U. S. control after the Louisiana Purchase of 1803.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Official Letter Books Of W.c.c. Claiborne, 1801-1816, Volume 2...

    ( This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923....)

Politics

William Charles Cole Claiborne was a member of the Democratic-Republican Party.

Personality

Claiborne was a man of good motives, pleasing appearance, mild temper, scrupulously honest and diligent. At times he seemed irresolute and was likely to magnify the difficulties that confronted him.

Connections

Claiborne married his first wife, Eliza W. Lewis of Nashville (who died in 1804). His second wife was Clarissa Duralde. In 1812, he married a third time, to Suzette Bosque, daughter of Don Bartólome Bosque.

Father:

William Claiborne

Mother:

Mary (Leigh) Claiborne

Spouse:

Eliza W. Lewis

Spouse:

Suzette Bosque

Spouse:

Clarissa Duralde

Brother:

Nathaniel Herbert Claiborne

References

• A Perfect War of Politics: Parties, Politicians, and Democracy in Louisiana, 1824--1861
• Louisiana Governors: Rulers, Rascals, and Reformers
• The Louisiana Governors: From Iberville to Edwards